I Really Must Go
by pandorabox82
Summary: Dom finds himself drawn closer to Henrik at the staff party. But will things go easily for him?


Dom plopped down on the sofa, not really caring that he had sat down roughly enough to spill Hanssen's mug of hot chocolate. He gave him a bit of side eye as he listened to the older man hiss in discomfort. "Sorry."

"If that really were the case, Mister Copeland, you would have gotten up and grabbed a towel to help me dry off," the man replied sardonically. "As it is, you are still seated and looking very unapologetic."

He bit his tongue to keep from saying a sharp retort, instead turning his head and calling out, "Oi! Raf! We need a towel in the living room!"

Raf appeared moments later with the towel, and he gave the surgeon a simpering smile before tugging it from his hand and tossing it to Hanssen. "Thanks, luv."

"You're welcome…?" Shaking his head a little, Raf disappeared back into the kitchen, and Dom could hear him start to speak lowly with Fletch before he closed the door.

Hanssen tsked lightly as he cleaned off the spilled drink and Dom couldn't stop his eyes from rolling a little. The older man was so fastidious, to the point of irritation, but he supposed that wasn't truly his fault. "I really am sorry. I guess I'm still upset because Lofty ditched me to hang out with Donna this weekend."

Truthfully, Lofty had ditched him to be with Donna, full stop, but no one truly needed to know that was the case. Except it seemed that, as usual, Hanssen knew all, since he nodded sympathetically before reaching out to pat Dom's shoulder. "That is a most unlikely pair indeed," the man said lowly, and Dom was grateful for his discretion.

"You're telling me," he muttered as he looked out the window of the house Fletch was renting for his holiday. The man had been gracious enough to hold a staff holiday party there, as well, and they had all been enjoying the Scottish countryside so far. "I didn't think it was supposed to snow…"

Just as those words left his mouth, the door to the home slammed open, and they both turned to see Serena and Bernie tumble inside. Their faces were flushed, despite the cold, and he couldn't help but chuckle as they peeled their coats and boots off before joining them in front of the fire.

"Well, no one else can go ice skating this weekend," Bernie muttered as she stretched her feet out closer to the fire.

"And why is that, Ms Wolfe?"

"Serena…"

"Serena, nothing! You were the one who wanted to race across the lake, Berenice!"

"Darling, that if that is a lake, I am God's gift to women."

Serena looked at them both before rolling her eyes a little. "Your God's gift to me, though sometimes I wish I could send you back," she teased as she squeezed in next to Hanssen. Dom watched as the older man's face turned a little red as he scooted closer to Dom. It was weird to be in such close proximity to him and not be a blubbering mess, but there was also something nice about it. The closeness allowed Dom to study him without being thought odd.

The taciturn features reminded him a little of Frederick, but there was no of the younger man's cruelty present on his face or in his bearing. For all that Dom couldn't stand the son, the father seemed to at least evoke some sympathy in him. And then, Hanssen turned his face, meeting Dom's eyes steadily, as if he had finally had enough of the studying. "I believe that I shall go for a walk on the grounds. If you'll excuse me."

He stood up, and Dom raked his eyes up and down Hanssen's form. To his surprise, he found something attractive about the slim body, and he chalked it up to his breakup with Lofty. There was nothing like not having sex for stirring up unwanted feelings of desire in a man. Hanssen tossed one last, lingering, look at Dom before striding over to the door and shrugging into his coat and boots.

"You didn't have to scare him away, Ms Campbell," Dom teased as soon as the door closed, and she smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?"

"You are not allowed to tease me like that." She arched an eyebrow at him before patting the now open spot next to her. "Bernie, there's room for you here now. Henrik has gone off outside to sulk."

Bernie nodded as she pulled herself up onto the couch, curling her body closely to Serena's as they stared into the fire. It was a thoroughly domestic scene that made Dom feel distinctly out of place, and he got up and made his way over to the window, watching as even more snow began to fall. "Seriously, where is this snow coming from? The forecast said that it was going to be clear all day."

"You know Scottish weather, Dom, it's as capricious as Jac's moods." Bernie barked out a laugh at Serena's pithy statement, and even he had to grin as he turned to look at them. "Though a little snow isn't going to hurt us. It makes the holiday season seem all the more magical."

And then, they were kissing, and Dom found himself missing Lofty fiercely. "I think I'll head outside myself for a bit. Enjoy the fire, ladies."

They nodded absently before starting to converse lowly, and Dom frowned a little as he pulled on his coat and then slid his feet into his boots. Opening the door, he shivered a little as the wind cut through him, but still, he stepped out into the snow. It was lightly falling, but there was still enough to see the path Hanssen had taken.

A part of him wanted to follow after the man, since he felt badly for making him feel uncomfortable, but another part of him wanted to leave Hanssen alone, to not smother him. His feet seemed to know exactly which path to take though, since he found himself coming back to the waking world as he followed the path Hanssen had blazed.

The longer he walked, the heavier the snowfall became, until it was a proper, sudden, snowstorm. Keeping his head bent, Dom picked up his pace, knowing that he had to find Hanssen before things got too bad. Not completely paying attention to what was happening in front of him, he bumped into a firm body.

"Following me again, Mister Copeland?"

"I figured that I'd catch up with you eventually, Mister Hanssen. Or that you'd find me on your way back to the cabin."

"That's a lot of faith."

Dom met Hanssen's eyes steadily as he nodded. "You are one that does inspire that faith, sir. You're like the steadfast tin soldier, standing tall and strong, even as everything goes to hell around you. I suppose that's an example we can all live by."

Hanssen scoffed a little as they started to make their way back to the house, and Dom wondered what he was going to say in rebuttal. "But some emotion is better than being cold."

"Being cold protects a tender heart." Dom had no idea what had caused him to say that, but the moment it was on the air, he knew that it was true. Hanssen cocked his head to one side, and the look on his face told Dom that he was perhaps seeing him in a new light. "If we hold ourselves at arm's length from people, we don't have to worry about being hurt. It's also something I wish I could emulate. I haven't quite made it yet."

"Please, don't. Do not try to be like me in this way."

The words were torn away by the wind, but they still grazed Dom's ears, and he felt himself tear up a little as he instinctively reached out to take hold of Hanssen's hand. There was an almost imperceptible softening there, and before Dom could stop himself, he leaned up and pressed his lips quickly to Hanssen's cheek. "So, you're saying with both need to temper the more extreme sides of our personalities?"

"Something along those lines, yes," the older man replied as he gave Dom a tiny smile. "Now, let's get back to the cabin before we turn to ice out here."

"It does seem that someone angered Elsa," he quipped as they got underway once more. A soft chuckle filled the air, and Dom joined in, a strange warmth filling his body as he realized that they were still holding hands. There was a welcome comfort in that touch, and he knew that he would not be calling it to Hanssen's attention, since he figured they both needed the affectionate touch. "I just hope that we don't end up stuck here. Who would run the hospital in our absence?"

"I'm certain that Mister Rossini would be able to fill in quite well, Dominic." The use of his given name was a welcome surprise, and he nodded a little as he stepped closer to Hanssen, drawing some warmth from his body as they approached the house. "And it would give us an excuse to get to know each other all the better."

"There is that, Henrik." It felt odd to use the man's given name, but from the quick smile, he knew that it was not unwelcome. Perhaps being snowed in would turn out to be the best thing for him.


End file.
